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Channel 4 news did a piece on these injections a week or so ago.  Apparently the same medication has been used  for treatment of diabetes for the last 20 yrs and they noticed they came accompanied with alot of weight loss.    So now approved for weight loss control on those seriously obese.  The consultant reckoned it was a case of weighing up the risks, pardon the pun.  Being obese obviously comes with alot of risk factors, therefore the medication may be the lesser of two evils for some.  The problem comes when someone who isn't obese wants to lose a few stone to look like someone in a magazine.

[One of them of yelling he was from Lurgan]

Savage effort put in by both sets of players in that cauldron. You can't help but have huge respect.I don't think at any stage did I think Armagh are the team to win this though. Perfect day and no real 2 point threat. Maybe a returning Rian will help that later in the year.

Just a note on the "supporters" around me. The Donegal bucks with their repeated English soccer style chants about a former Armagh player and his ongoing legal case, similar style chants about another returned player and his alleged lifestyle choices, repeated shouts of "orange bastids", and "bring back the RUC" for some reason. The Armagh bucks in front of me barely looked in the direction of the pitch and instead it was just an opportunity for a social gathering and a chat with mates. Wasted tickets imo.

I had a crowd of Lurgan fans behind me on the hill. Good singing when Soupy came on but someone from the same group was throwing bottles of coke with the top off. I can pm you a photo of said group if you so desire. (Not sure which club they were from)

Just out of interest, how do you know they were from
Lurgan

A) One of them of yelling he was from Lurgan
B) Plus the accents

Why would anyone go to a game to shout out where they're from, strange behaviour.

Congrats Donegal, I hope we meet later in the year again for the big one.  Nothing between the teams, I don't think anyone would turn down the chance of another titanic tussle in a few weeks time.  Now for the group of death for the second year in a row.

Well we can't ask for better than today's weather, Clones will look resplendent.  I remember getting some serious roastings from the sun in Clones before sunscreen was as common.  You could tell where everyone stood at the game going by the side of their face that was burnt, don't forget the sunscreen.  Hopefully we don't have penalties for the 3rd year running, and may the best team win  Up Armagh!!

Probably just wait to after next weekend and then we'll not have to guess, everything will be clear. Tickets for Ulster final is the biggest issue at present...Big, big demand and clubs have more ticket requests than tickets available.

Whatever happened to the season 'season ticket situation' with Armagh fans re: Antrim game?

1500 tickets allocated to Armagh season ticket holders is my understanding of it, so not all season ticket holders could be sorted, was first come, first served.

When was the last time Armagh were beaten in Championship football that didn't involve penalties?

It's concerning how long it's taking to get a few of the All Ireland winning team back in the fold, or maybe it's a case that they're timing their run, I hope for the latter.  Some excellent additions to the setup including Callum O'Neill, McMullan and McCormack. 

As against Tyrone, Armagh seem to find a way to let the opponents back into it in the second half, although Gough did give a hand in that effort on Saturday.

Donegal are rightly favourites for Ulster.

Not sure there was much (or anything) in the foul at the end. Soft as you like.

While Gough made some debatable calls that was one he got right.

https://x.com/CahairOKane1/status/1916237689369629138/mediaViewer?

It was a free all day long.  Soupy's equaliser, I thought it should have been a 2 pointer at the time, haven't seen a replay of it yet though.

Had to rewind the RTE GAA podcast yesterday to make sure I heard Jacqui Hurley right ... she was asking if Tyrone will hold Darragh Canavan back 'for bigger fish' later in the year :-) ...

It's a difficult one, if he's a doubt and he plays and properly tears the hamstring he could miss the group games and Tyrone's season might be near over at that point.

Given his Da's wry smile when asked the question last week, I reckon DC is ready to go.

Had to rewind the RTE GAA podcast yesterday to make sure I heard Jacqui Hurley right ... she was asking if Tyrone will hold Darragh Canavan back 'for bigger fish' later in the year :-) ...

Gone are the days when an Armagh v Tyrone game would have got a 50 page thread on it's own.  Changed times ... still, Armagh by 7 

Tyrone v Armagh then...Bookies have Tyrone slight favourites to win this game and the pundits are bigging up Tyrone saying they're back as contenders but how do they base this on one game v a very poor Cavan team. I know Armagh have had a fair few injuries lately but Armagh destroyed them in league and are All Ireland Champions yet Tyrone are fav's. Do bookies and pundits know more than me?. (TBF most people know more than me...lol) I'm just basing this on facts and results, I think Armagh will beat Tyrone TBH but the mighty Down/Donegal will await (more likely the mighty Donegal).

Not sure what they're judging off. Would expect Canavan to be back for us but even then Armagh are just to physical. Even their second string are bigger, taller, faster, just more athletic in general. Can't see us getting within 7 points of them

we will get cleaned at midfield if we dont get a few back. 

Any word on how close Grimley and Crealey are to fitness?

A lot of scores coming off the back of too many steps across most games this weekend.  The Sean O'Shea goal being the worst and most impactful to the outcome of a game.  Some dubious scores coming off the back of too many steps again in Clones this afternoon. Either refs are going to police it or they ain't, but the message seems to be that you're ok to take whatever steps are needed if you're being tackled at the same time.

I'd be all for removing the 2 pointer.  The rule changes predominantly came about to remove the lateral play, mass defending, and general boredom.  The 3 up, 3 back sorts that out.  The kickout rules also help.  The tap and go is also a great introduction.  But for me, the 2 pointer is overcompensating for what is just another skill of the game in kicking a ball 40 yards with some accuracy.  There was nothing wrong with the scoring system before.  Scorelines such as 1-34 to 1-23 devalues the scores to a degree and we're gonna see alot more of that before the year is out.  Scrap the 2 pointer at the next opportunity.

Routine win for Donegal. Derry looked well up for it early on, but the last ten minutes of the first half Daire O'Baoill put in a tour de force to pull Donegal clear, despite the Derry goal and then the mini-burst after half time.

Don't think Derry scoring the penalty would have made much difference in the long run, but Murphy escaping a red might have, given that it came during those couple of minutes when Derry were winning the Patton kick out and closing the gap. After that, Donegal made hay on the Derry kick out and put the game to bed fairly quickly.


Impressive debut for young Roarty, even getting up for a point. McBrearty was superb, as was O'Baoill, Moore, Conor and Shane O'Donnell and Thompson and Big Hughie. Good shape going forward if we can get McGee and Langan fit. Eoin Ban didn't get a run at all either.

Murphy escaping a red definitely made a difference on the game.  With the new rules, going a man down is akin to raising the white flag now, he and Donegal can count themselves lucky.  A closed fist it was, and a sure red card.

Restore Casement to an enhanced modern version of its former self.  Covered stand the length of the pitch at one side, recreate the bowl around the other three sides with seating and terracing, a bit like the Gaelic Grounds.  There was no finer sight on a summers day than a packed Casement.